plate no. 5772
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu with Her Son, Edward Wortley Montagu, and Attendants
Jean Baptiste Vanmour, 1717
recreation guide
This artwork is a Baroque-era oil portrait by Jean Baptiste Vanmour, created in 1717. As a portrait, its primary intent is to represent specific human subjects—Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, her son Edward, and attendants—serving as a record of their appearance and status (Source 3). The work belongs to the tradition of Flemish Baroque painting, which often featured life-sized or monumental portraiture of nobility, influenced by artists like Rubens and Van Dyck (Source 6). The technique likely involves the complex layering methods characteristic of the 'old masters,' specifically the use of a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) followed by transparent glazes and semi-opaque scumbles to achieve depth and luminosity (Source 1).
estimated time
40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions (allowing for drying times between glaze layers)
materials
6 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red, Yellow earth tones) | Primary pigments for grisaille and glazing | Artist-grade oil paints |
| Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia | Medium for mixing paint and glazing; Source 1 specifically mentions oil of copavia for Reynolds' method, while general practice uses linseed (Source 7) | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or Turpentine | Thinner for initial layers and cleaning brushes (Source 7) | Odorless mineral spirits |
| Canvas | Support surface | Linen or cotton canvas |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | Initial sketching on the canvas (Source 7) | Vine charcoal or diluted oil paint |
| Varnish | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery (Source 1) | Dammar or synthetic resin varnish |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be primed with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming details for Vanmour are not in the sources, traditional oil painting techniques of this period often involved a white or light-toned ground to facilitate the glazing process described in Source 1. Ensure the surface is smooth to allow for the fine finish expected in portraiture.
underdrawing
Begin by sketching the subjects onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 7). As this is a portrait intended to achieve a recognizable likeness (Source 3), the underdrawing must be precise in capturing the proportions and gestures of Lady Montagu, her son, and the attendants. Do not rely on stereotypes; if specific facial features are not described in the sources, focus on the general composition of a group portrait.
underpainting
Execute a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white (Source 1). This step involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal values of the composition (Source 1). This layer must be allowed to dry completely before proceeding. This technique is consistent with the practices of old masters who used glazing and scumbling (Source 1).
color palette
Ultramarine
Pure ultramarine pigment
Part of the grisaille underpainting (Source 1)
White
Lead white or modern titanium/zinc white
Highlights and mixing in grisaille (Source 1)
Black
Ivory black or lamp black
Shadows and grisaille underpainting (Source 1)
Red and Yellow tones
Vermilion, red lake, yellow ochre, etc.
Glazing and scumbling over the dried grisaille to introduce color (Source 1)
Complementary Colors
Pairs such as red-green or blue-orange
Creating contrast and harmonizing colors according to the laws of simultaneous contrast (Source 2, Source 5)
composition
The composition is a group portrait featuring Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, her son Edward, and attendants. While specific spatial arrangements are not detailed in the sources, Flemish Baroque portraiture often utilized life-sized or monumental scales for nobility (Source 6). The arrangement likely aims to harmonize the colors of the composition inherent to the nature of the objects (Source 2). Avoid inventing specific background details like wall hangings or furniture unless explicitly described, which they are not.
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the figures of Lady Montagu, Edward, and attendants onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Ensure accurate proportions for likeness (Source 3).
Initial sketching
underpainting
step 02
Paint a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white. Mentally exclude red and yellow to focus on tonal values.
Tip — This layer must be completely dry before glazing (Source 1).
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Apply transparent glazes of red and yellow tones over the dried grisaille. Use oil as a medium initially.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color (Source 1).
Glazing
refining
step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones, particularly over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms.
Tip — The underlying painting should make itself felt through the scumble (Source 1).
Scumbling
step 05
Apply subsequent layers with varnish and oil mixed, once sufficient mastery is gained, to refine the color and luminosity.
Tip — Follow the 'fat over lean' rule to prevent cracking (Source 7).
Varnish glazing
finishing
step 06
Check for simultaneous contrast effects. Ensure that contiguous colors do not distort the perceived hue of adjacent areas.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see complementary colors due to fatigue (Source 2).
Color harmony
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Glazing involves applying transparent coats of color, while scumbling uses semi-opaque paint over a darker ground. This method was practiced by old masters to achieve depth and luminosity (Source 1).
Fat over Lean
Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking (Source 7).
Simultaneous Contrast
Awareness that adjacent colors affect each other's appearance. The painter must account for this to accurately imitate the model's colors (Source 2).
common pitfalls
- →Applying glazes before the grisaille is completely dry, which can ruin the underpainting (Source 1).
- →Violating the 'fat over lean' rule, leading to cracking and peeling of the paint film (Source 7).
- →Ignoring simultaneous contrast, resulting in inaccurate color perception and application (Source 2).
- →Attempting to deceive the eye into seeing 'real nature' rather than expressing feeling through painted symbols, which is considered a misdirected effort (Source 8).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of the subjects' clothing, jewelry, or facial expressions are not described in the sources.
- ·The exact room layout or background elements are not specified.
- ·Vanmour's specific personal palette preferences beyond general Baroque practices are not detailed.
- ·The specific dimensions of the canvas are not provided.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color harmony and simultaneous contrast considerations
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of using medium capabilities and avoiding mere deception
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — applied to Purpose of the artwork and likeness requirements
Wikipedia: Flemish Baroque painting↗
- Portraiture — applied to Context of Baroque portraiture and scale
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — applied to Materials, 'fat over lean' rule, and sketching methods
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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